The only instance known to me of a currently marketed snow ski, where the rider stands with both feet on the same ski is the MONOSKI manufactured by Rossignol of France. As compared with the herein disclosed second ski, the MONOSKI is much longer and wider, with a pronounced taper toward the tail. Its two ski binders are mounted for feet disposed side by side and toes directed forward toward the tip of the ski, not heel to toe in tandem as disclosed herein. The MONOSKI is a single ski as the name implies, hence it is not an articulated ski herein defined as two interacting skis: a first ski adapted exclusively for steering and a second ski adapted exclusively for transporting the skier.
The SKIBOB by Authier of Switzerland represents the closest prior art combination of elements of the present invention, to the best of my knowledge. It is no longer being produced. It was adapted, however, for seated skiing with no provision of space for the feet. Instead, it was provided with an elongated seat on top of a trapezoidal frame, which occupied most of the top surface of the second ski. The skier rode with feet airborne or gliding over the snow for balance. A pair of very short skis was offered as an optional accessory, one for each foot, thereby placing a skier on four skis simultaneously. No seat belt was provided, hence whenever the skier separated from the seat, as on a mogul, the ski was, for the duration of the separation, out of his control, and the skier was in danger of an injurious landing. The ski lift operators, at least those in the western states, have been required by their insurance companies to ban the SKIBOB from their properties, quite likely on account of the safety hazard.
In the stand up articulated ski disclosed herein, the skier rides standing, with knees slightly bent and thus capable of absorbing much more of the shock of rough terrain than a skier seated on a SKIBOB. With this cushioning effect both skis will follow the roughness of the terrain more intimately and will be momentarily airborne less of the time. This means that the skier will have better control. Secondly, by spring-biasing the first ski to reach 1.5 inches down below the nominal level of the second ski, the herein disclosed first ski will reach into holes up to 1.5 inches deep and still maintain contact with the terrain and hence maintain better control. The SKIBOB provides no spring biasing.
It is inconceivable that a skier would deliberately jump to get airborne while seated on a SKIBOB, first because he separates from the seat and will cettainly misalign in flight and will spill on impact with the terrain and, secondly because the front ski of the SKIBOB is rubber band biased to nose down while airborne so as to impact the snow nose end first like a spear thrown. On the other hand, the herein disclosed first ski is radial spring biased to nose up, so as to impact the snow tail end first. Also the front foot is secured to the ski at all times, so that airborne jumps and turns can safely be executed with the articulated ski disclosed herein.
Cooperating maximum nose up angle stop-arm and-boss, respectively, and minimum nose down angle stop-arm and-boss, respectively, are provided in the herein disclosed articualted ski. Equivalent functioning stops are also provided in the SKIBOB but they are of different mechanical design and besides, the actual values of the stop angles are significantly different.
Right and left steering angle stop arms are provided on the herein disclosed pivot pin plates to limit the maximum range of the steering angle to .beta.=.+-.45.degree., right and left, respectively, from front center. No corresponding stops are provided in the SKIBOB where the front ski steers unrestrictedly over a range of .beta.=.+-.90.degree..
Brake means are hingedly attached to the tail of the herein described second ski. The brake is spring-biased to be normally raised out of contact with the snow except when depressed by the skier's foot. No brake is provided on the SKIBOB
A corrugated, adhesive, rubber-like mat is applied over the top surface of the herein described second ski, commencing with the front toe cup and extending rearward to the tail, then resuming over the top of the brake, whereby an anti-slip covering is provided. The SKIBOB provides no anti slip covering, indeed, no accessible space for the feet of the skier.